The entire Byers-Hopper family was ready to celebrate Christmas with the Wheelers. Everyone except Joyce, she was keeping the others waiting, still in the bathroom but would soon be ready.

Joyce adjusted her burgundy dress one last time as she looked at herself in the bathroom mirror.

She then took in her hand the heart-shaped necklace that Hopper had given her a few months ago.

So she finally walked out of the room. They were all in the living room waiting.

Will was wearing a red and white sweater, Jonathan a red shirt, El a new red sequined top that she and Joyce had bought a short while ago. And Hopper... he turned to her and a smile immediately appeared on both their faces.

"Get in the car, we're coming." He said as he spoke to the three teenagers who immediately left .

Joyce walked towards him admiring the shirt he was wearing: black and red, it fit him... perfectly.

"Could you?" She asked as she gave him her necklace.

"Of course", he said once he had recovered his voice, "you're... damn it Joyce, you're perfect."

He managed to tie her necklace and then placed a simple kiss on her exposed collarbone. Joyce turned and smiled at him before tying her hands behind Hopper's neck.

"You're not bad yourself", she smiled back.

"Do we... do we have to go?" He asked, lowering his head.

"Don't you want to celebrate Christmas?" She replied, frowning at the sudden change of mood.

"Yes, but... I don't know... not there, I mean the kids can go because they seem to be so willing to, but we can stay here, can't we?"

"What's wrong?" She asked, forcing him to look her in the eyes.

Hopper took a deep breath before answering.

"I just... I just can't stand seeing El and Mike kissing all night."

"It doesn't bother you when we do the same," she smiled.

Hopper had a small laugh.
"It's not the same..."

"I know it's not. But what's really wrong ?"

"It's just that..." Hopper looked away and felt his eyes getting wet.

"Jim?" She placed her fingers on his hairy chin to make him look at her again.

"This is the first time I'm going to celebrate Christmas with so many people since Sara's gone. I hardly even really celebrated Christmas anymore before I adopted El", he said looking away.

"Don't you think you finally deserve to have a happy Christmas with your family?"

Hopper nodded and smiled, defeated. Joyce tied their fingers together and lured him to the door to get to the car.

-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-

The ten people inside the house seemed to enjoy the moment they were having with the others, even Hopper. Joyce lost sight of him at one point, but he came back moments later, tapping her shoulder to tell her to turn around.

He was smiling from ear to ear when she finally turned to face him.

"What's the matter with you?" Joyce asked confusedly.

He pointed to something above their heads and Joyce couldn't help but laugh when she saw the mistletoe branch he was holding in his outstretched hand.

"A tradition is a tradition."

He watched her laugh, her dimples rising slightly up to her eyes. He simply looked at her with admiration, adoration.

"Where did you get that from?"

Hopper glanced behind him to make sure no one was listening.

"It was hung with a frame on the wall but I think it's more useful here. I'll put it back later, don't panic", he hastened to add.

Joyce shook her head and laughed.
"Are you aware that you don't need to find any excuse to kiss me?"

"Oh you've just made a big mistake because now I'm going to kiss you every two minutes, five if you get tired of it."

He bent down to join Joyce's lips as he placed his free hand on her cheek.

-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-

Hopper had just opened the gift Joyce had given him, he sat down next to her on the couch and placed a kiss on her cheek.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, it's not much but I couldn't think of any better idea."

"Oh no, it's perfect."

He put the hat on his head and his new sunglasses on, then leaned his elbow on the couch and took a pose worthy of a mannequin. Joyce giggled and shook her head.

"It makes you look very sexy", she said, looking up to the sky.

"I don't need that to be sexy", he said looking at her over his glasses.

"If you say so."

"No wrong answer, you should say: oh yes it's true, you're completely right, as always."

Joyce approached him with a smile.
"Oh yes it's true, you're completely right, but not as always."

Hopper smiled, half proud of himself. He came up to her and whispered in her ear :
"You don't have any present yet because yours is on the road, you'll have to wait."

Joyce was about to answer when a shout of joy from next door cut her off. They turned to El who approached Will holding a DVD.

"Look Will, I got the DVD from E.T.!"

"Yes, you must be happy."

"Can we watch it tomorrow?"

"But we've already seen it five times!"

"What's the big deal?" She shrugged her shoulders before turning her attention to her other gifts.

Mike moved closer to look at her with a smile on his face. Hopper frowned when he saw him bending to kiss her. Joyce noticed him and took his hand and pressed it once to make him turn towards her.

"You have to make an effort, they are happy together and I know you want her to be happy."

"Umm yes, you're probably right", he said, taking off his hat.

"As always", she answered with a wink.

They were stopped once again by El, who settled on the couch between them with her presents on her lap.

"Thank you very much", she said, looking at them one after the other.

Joyce smiled at her and replaced a lock of her hair that had fallen on her lips when she turned to her, she was surprised when El took her in her arms.

"You're welcome, sweetheart. It's our pleasure", she replied.

El finally got up from the couch and put a kiss on Hopper's cheek.

"Thanks Dad", she said with a smile.

"Wait, I have to take pictures!" Karen screamed as she waved the camera in her hands.

"Again!?" Hopper and Mike shouted at the same time, which made Nancy and Jonathan leave in a laughing fit.